"Do you wanna run that by me one more time?"
The expression of Risa, on hearing the words of the Sultan, became dark with fury.
Oscar became serious on hearing these words, and he didn't hold Risa back as she stomped forth, grabbing the Sultan by the collar of his robe.
"What the hell did you just say?"
"Ugh! I.... urg.... said that the Empire has deceived us!! There are no rations! There will be no solution to the drought!!"
The Sultan shouted out these words in a pained voice, a combination of his own struggling by being held by the throat, and the internal struggle which he was going through as a result of this grave news.
Dropping the man so that he fell to his knees, Risa walked off.
"I'll..... kill him myself."
"Risa.... wait."
"Are you going to stop me, Oscar?"
Turning back, the hero looked the Indeterminant in the eyes.
She was alit with passion.
She was truly ready to destroy anyone who came in her path.
"No, I won't stop you. I told you before, didn't I?"
Oscar stepped forth, turning to the Sultan.
"This too is my own fault. I trusted in the young Emperor..... I thought he would do what was right. Yet it seems that once more, I've made an incorrect decision. Therefore, I will correct it..... one final time."
"Indeterminant..... what do you plan to do?", the Sultan asked while standing slowly.
"The rulers of these nations.... they are filled with greed. Perhaps Kyle was onto something which I did not realize before. I do not know. But what I do know for certain, is that I cannot allow such evil to occur. A promise was made by the Emperor, to myself and to you- between the leaders of nations, and a hero. And that promise has been shattered, trampled upon, and spit on."
Looking forward with resolve, Oscar held an unyielding expression.
"And the word of a ruler is not something which should be thrown about lightly."
"Then...."
"The young Emperor..... he is a man who many have said is unfit for the position of Emperor. After his father was killed, it was a shock to all. There were many rumors that he would lead his nation to destruction, and that is exactly what he is doing. Risa."
Beckoning for Risa, the woman looked to Oscar, who had a resolved expression.
"Yes?"
"I am through with the games of these corrupt politicians. As the heroes of these humanity, it is our duty to lead the people. You saw for yourself the corruption of those men in the Kingdom. They would go so far as to publicly execute civilians for their own purposes, to inspire terror into anyone who went against their rule."
"It's.... unforgivable."
"What do you think about..... ruling humanity alongside me?"
Oscar asked Risa this question with determination, to which Risa looked down, surprised by the unexpected proposal.
"Rule.... humanity?"
"Of course, we would not rule over the Sultinate. We would work alongside the Sultan for the priority of all peoples and nations. I.... believe that Kyle was eccentric, and that in some ways he was uncontrollable. But I now see that his own goals, and perhaps even his methods.... were not the wrong answer. I think he was on to something. If only....."
Oscar looked down, biting his lip with a bitter expression.
"If only I had come to this conclusion sooner. Then perhaps none of the heroes would have died."
With a light nod from Risa, Oscar continued.
"So? What do you say? Why don't we kick these rulers off their high horses and help people without any hindrances? Then we can truly focus on finding this unknown enemy, and eventually face the Queen of Demons together."
"Wait just a moment, Indeterminant."
The one who spoke, interrupting the flow of the conversation, was the Sultan.
"Indeterminant..... you.... you would go that far for humanity? To bear the responsibilities not only of the hero and savior, but also as the ruler of nations?"
"It is my duty. As a hero, if there are none fit to lead, that should also be my own responsibility."
"Then..... I understand that this is a selfish request of me, and that I am only putting a greater workload on you, but..... Indeterminant, I am insufficient!! I am a pathetic leader, and I have done nothing for my people in their time of trial! Please! If you manage to take over the Empire and rule as it's new leader, then allow me to offer my nation to become a part of yours as well!"
The Sultan spoke with a combination of desperation and resolve, offering his very position as Sultan up for the betterment of his people.
"If it is you.... if it is the hero of humanity, then you will surely be able to do more for my people than I have ever done!! I beg of you!!"
Getting on his hands and knees, the Sultan began to weep in anguish before Oscar.
"Will you.... take this burden from me?"
Closing his eyes, Oscar placed a hand on the shoulder of the Sultan.
"It is my duty as a hero to take on all the burdens of the world. I will do so."
The Sultan looked up with hope, smiling and wiping his tears.
"Thank you.... thank you.... Indeterminant..... please... I know that I have asked you far too many times.... but please..... save my people."
"That is the one thing which I will never cease to do, no matter how many times I am asked."
With this reply, the Sultan was filled with hope.
His burden had been removed, and he no longer had to worry.
For the Indeterminant, the savior of humanity, would make things right.
Oscar however, had a mind which was completely contrary to his own words and demeanor.
'Haha!! What an idiot! He just went and offered his entire nation to me!? That was waay easier than I thought it would be! Now just to convince the girl, and we're golden!'
"So? What do you say? Will you rule the world with me?"
Oscar looked to Risa, who was still furious and raring to go.
"I..... will. Let's go and kill the Emperor. And then.... we will assist my people by ruling over all."
With this statement, Oscar got back into his BMW, and Risa stepped in alongside him. Rolling down the window, he waved to the Sultan.
"We'll return soon enough. The Empire annexed the Kingdom as of today, so if we take over the Empire the Kingdom will be ours as well. That means.... the entire human realm will be under our rule. All that will be left then is to find the hero of the Alliance, but I'll focus on that at a later time. Peacefully ruling these nations comes first, after all."
And with this statement, Oscar and Risa drove off.
The sun had already set at this point, and so the headlights of Oscar's vehicle were the only things to provide any light on the world.
'Hahaha..... so it wasn't that hard to get her after all. I guess she was a little resistant at first, but all I really had to do was play nice, make some memories, pretend like I cared about the people who died, and most importantly...'
Oscar held back a smirk.
'Pretend like I was angry for the sake of those she cared about, and help her to defeat the man who invoked her anger. Ah ah.... looks like my plan worked out real nicely. The Emperor sure is an idiot, sending such a letter to the Sultan like that. Ah! But I was the one who told him to do such a thing! Haha! Did he not even question that the hero of nations was proposing such a thing?'
With high speeds, Oscar drove along in the night through the desert.
'Everything is going along well..... except for that one enemy. I need to find out more about them, but I don't know anything. Ah..... I wanted to try out that woman that we captured earlier, but she got away..... now I'm really curious. Just what would it be like to sleep with a woman who has gone insane?'
Looking to Risa, a horrid thought entered the mind of Oscar.
'Oh? What if...'
He held back a sinister laugh as disturbing ideas boiled within his mind.
'That's right.... she was a bitch to me when I first met her, and I wanted to get her back for it. Don't think I've forgotten, Risa. I'll still tame you. No.... even better. I'll make you obsessed with me. I'll make it so that you can't live without me. And then..... I'll abandon you. I wonder then what you'll do? Hm? Have I done that before?'
Oscar shrugged his shoulders, speeding through the sands.
'Whatever.'
----
An angelic figure lay in an extravagant bed, staring at the ceiling.
'I wonder how many people will suffer before I am able to get rid of him.....'
'Preparation is important. You can't just fight him head on, idiot. If you were to pop up in front of him, who knows what would happen. I can't even guarantee that you would be able to just reset everything like you usually would. He holds strange abilities that are on par with yours, you know.'
'I.... know.'
It was at this moment that the vision of this girl went black.
Everything was darkened.
Then, a scene.
The scene of a young girl getting hit by a luxurious car.
The splattering of organs, and the girl being thrown against the wall with blood dripping from her mouth.
The annoyed voice of the man who drove the vehicle.
And then, it was dark again.
Then, voices.
The voice of that man, in a horrible tone as if he were ready to consume those around him.
'I'll break her..... haha....'
'I can't wait to try that one out.....'
'I'll remove them all..... all my competition.'
'Oh..... the Queen of Demons, eh? I'd like to see how she is in bed.'
Claire then sat up in her bed, panting and heaving.
She was sweating all over, and her eyes darted about the empty room.
Holding a shivering hand to her face, her expression was both sour and pained.
"I'll... make him suffer."
"No Claire. We will make him suffer."
"We'll.... make him suffer."
"Heh."
"Hahaha....."
"Heh heh heh...."
"I'll..... make it so that he can never perform such vulgar acts again."
----
A man sat in the throne room, for once in his life sitting on a proper seat.
Surrounding him, a dozen women performed all sorts of tasks.
Some leaned on his armrests as he stroked his hands through the hair of the women. Others were fanning him with palm leaves, while other still held platters with food and drink.
This blonde man was the acting Emperor of the Vythguard Empire, Percius V.
However, his expression was one of distaste.
"The third legion has been out of contact for quite a while now, and there is still no word regarding the 5th. The 1st has been completely eliminated, and the 2nd and 4th left today for the campaign in the Kingdom..... of which there is no word."
The man spoke to himself, though there was another man dressed in a tunic who stood off to the side.
"That is correct, my liege. However, I believe with the Indeterminant and the heroes leading the charge...."
"Two heroes died, no?"
"That.... is correct."
"What are the chances that both heroes who died were on our own side?"
"That is almost negligible. It is far more likely that the hero of the Ruthobold Kingdom took out one hero before he was slain himself."
The older man who conversed with the Emperor was the minster, Longitudinas.
"Then, it would be best if it were the hero of the Sultinate who was taken out. As a matter of fact, that would be two birds with one stone. We would be the only nation then with a hero under our control.", Percius stated with a grin.
"That would indeed be the best, however what if that is not the case?", Longitudinas asked.
"If that happens.... then it doesn't matter. Our armies total to be stronger than a single hero either way."
"But my liege...."
"No buts. The Indeterminant is our ally, no? We have no need to worry. He was the one who proposed that we send such a letter to annex both the Sultinate and the Kingdom in one swoop..... and then we will be one step closer."
The young man grinned as he petted the woman underneath his arm.
"To complete control. And once we have obtained that.... we will fulfill my father's goal. We will take the monster realm for ourselves. We will beat back those demons, and rule the entire world."
"My...."
"Such massive goals, young Emperor....."
"That isn't the only massive thing....."
The girls around him began to shout the praises of the young man, yet he quickly silenced them with a hand motion.
"I've heard enough of you whores. You don't need to praise me all day."
"So strict...."
"But even when he is strict I can't hate him...."
It was then that the door burst open, and storming into the room were two figures.
One, a blonde man with an elegant walk and a dignified demeanor.
The other, a sharp eyed woman who sent her glares around the room.
"Ah, it looks like you've returned. Get off me, women. I need to speak with these people."
The young Emperor shook the women off him, putting his attention to the two who walked through the statue filled aisle.
On seeing the two, the Emperor thinned his eyes, noting that the hero of the Sultinate, and not the hero of the Empire was present.
"I take it you were victorious, but at a cost?"
"Don't mess with us."
The hero of the Sultinate quickly replied to the young Emperor, to which all the women around him began to glare at her with irritation.
'How dare she....'
'This bitch....'
'She thinks she can mouth off to the young Emperor like that?'
"My..... it would appear that you are quite angered. Ah.... I suppose you've been notified of my position on the matter of your drought?"
"I've heard enough. You don't deny it?"
"I do not. But there is something else-"
"You villain."
Oscar interrupted the young Emperor before he could speak, putting on airs of intense anger.
"I trusted you..... I believed your words that you would rule over the Kingdom with justice.... I led your men, fought alongside your armies.... and your hero fought alongside the hero of the Sultinate.... and this is how you repay them for those efforts?"
"Indeterminant, what are you-"
Stepping forward, Oscar quickly spoke with loud tone, not allowing for the young Emperor to cut in.
"Without the hero of the Sultinate, the hero of this Empire would have died trying to take on Kyle Ruthobold on his own! He was far more powerful as a hero than we anticipated, and it was only through unity that we were able to defeat him! And yet..... you betray the very assistance given to you by the Sultinate by refusing to abide by your word and follow the deal which you yourself proposed!?!?"
Oscar was now shouting with distaste, laying the 'deeds' of the young Emperor before all as he wished them to see it.
"Wait just a moment, Indeterminant. I was merely-"
"And to think that I trusted you as a reasonable leader. I have come to a conclusion, young Emperor. You are not fit to lead this Empire. Your deception has gone too far, and if you are allowed to remain in power, you would only serve to destroy the very people you fight for. Look around you!!! Two of your legions have been wiped out, and two are completely lost, their whereabouts unknown!!! They are likely wiped out by monsters for all we know, at your foolish orders! Only half of the 2nd legion remains, and yet they serve an Emperor who would only continue to sever the bonds of humanity with betrayal."
"Betrayal!? Betrayal!? You speak to me of betrayal, Indeterminant!? When you were the one who-"
[\kill Percius V (Heart attack)]
"I have heard enough of your excuses."
In an instant, the young Emperor grabbed his chest and began to breathe raggedly.
Blood erupted from his mouth and he began to tremble.
His eyes went wide, and he whispered out a few final words.
"You..... had this power?"
With an expression of surprise, the young Emperor died on the spot.
At that moment, shrieks of terror were heard from the dozen women around him.
"AH!!!!!"
"EEK!!!!!"
At seeing their beloved Emperor killed in mere moments, the women couldn't do anything but fall away in horror.
Longitudinas too could only drop his jaw, terrified at the scene.
"Indeterminant..... you....."
"I cannot allow such a foolish man to take control of the nations of humanity. He will only lead them to destruction. Please try to understand, I did not do this because I wish to spread chaos. On the contrary, I am here to protect the people. And this man was a threat to the people of this Empire, and to the people of the lands which it now contains."
Many guards were stationed around the walls of the throne room, however they merely watched in shock and disbelief.
"The young Emperor....."
"He's been killed....."
"Do not fret!! I understand well your doubts!!! I understand well your fears!!!! And it is because I understand them, that I have done this!!!"
Oscar raised a hand, quieting all around him.
It was then, that he was given a prompt from the system.
[Do you wish for this message to be broadcasted to the nations?]
[Yes/No]
[Yes]
With a grin, Oscar was reassured.
'Fate..... truly is on my side. I suppose that is what it means to be the Indeterminant..... nothing can be set against me.'
Puffing out his chest, Oscar spoke into the minds of all the people of the three human nations.
"Humanity..... is in a state of chaos. More than anything right now, they need a hero who will fight for them. The Emperor Percius IV was a righteous man who was willing and able to fight for humanity, yet due to the madness of Kyle Ruthobold, the Empire was handed to his destructive, spoiled, and hotheaded son. I cannot accept that. Therefore, I will take matters into my own hands. I will lead this nation..... this new Empire, which consists of all the nations of humanity. Worry not, peoples of all nations. I am here for you. I will fight for you. And if it is required.... I will die for you."
This message was sent to people all over the world.
To the people of the Kingdom who were unsure of the future, to the people of the Empire who had lost their armies and their greatest Emperor, and to the people of the Sultinate who were struggling with a harsh drought.
These words dug into the hearts of the people.
'I will die for you.'
To the many who were terrified of the future, these words were a haven.
These kind, soft words, spoken by one with a righteous tone.
One who was willing to give everything for the people.
And so, they rejoiced.
People all over the world rejoiced at this news.
"The Indeterminant.... is our new Emperor?"
"He is our new ruler!?"
"We..... are saved!!!"
"WE'VE BEEN SAVED!!!!!"
"Finally, a hero has come to lead us!!!!"
"Finally, we no longer have to struggle under corrupt men!!!!"
"Finally, we can stick our heads out with pride, no matter who we are!!!"
On that night, celebrations were had throughout the nations.
Oscar ordered the men to take the body of the young Emperor away.
"Give him a proper burial. Even if he was a fool, no man deserves to be desecrated."
"I understand, Indeterminant!"
The guards, who were now subject to another ruler, obeyed with tears in their eyes.
They were not fond of the young Emperor, but they were completely loyal to the man who held the title of Emperor.
And that man was now the Indeterminant.
Another throne was brought into the room, and sitting down together, Oscar and Risa smiled as they took control.
"Now then..... for my first order, have grain sent to the Sultinate immediately. I don't care how much it costs, I want it to be transported ASAP."
"Understood, Indeterminant."
Longitudinas, who similarly had no connection with the young Emperor, immediately took care of matters at Oscar's command.
"And as for my second order..... I wish for a census to be performed. The names and information on every citizen of my new nation are to be recorded and presented to me."
Thus began the rule of the Indeterminant.
The man who was destined to save humanity.
Yet his goals... were anything but.
----
"You will die for them?"
With a wicked laugh, the demonic angel couldn't help herself from grinning as she witnessed the scene of madness as the entire world shouted the praises of the Indeterminant.
"Yes, you will die. But the very thought of you dying for them..... is inconceivable."
Closing her eyes, the woman smiled as she lay down in her bed.
"Congratulations, hero. The people love you. And it would seem..... that there is only one place left in their hearts for me."
As she whispered this, the half asleep woman smiled, her mouth crawling up her lips in a smug grin.
"As their enemy."
----
Epilogue: Risa Saheed
Risa Saheed was at one point the daughter of a wealthy family within the Asarith Sultinate.
"You're marriage date has been set for one month from now. You are to marry the Pasha of Ulbeq, and you will leave this household the day of the marriage."
These were the words her father told a 10 year old Risa.
Too young to even be thinking about marriage, she left the house that night crying.
"Risa!!! Get back here!!! You cannot run from this! This is for the sake of our lineage!!!"
Despite her father's shouts and her mother's concerned cries, Risa ran.
She ran and she ran, until she didn't know where she was or why she was there.
"I..... I...."
Risa found herself in the corner of an alleyway in the middle of the night.
She was alone.
She was scared.
She felt betrayed by her parents.
"I don't want to leave.... I don't want to marry.... I don't..... I don't want to become..... a slave."
Risa's mother was greatly abused by her father.
Her mother, who had been married off in similar fashion, had endured beatings as Risa could do nothing more than watch from a corner.
To her, this was what marriage was.
While there were some men in the Sultinate who were different, to Risa who only knew of her father, marriage was just a means to be put in ones place by a man who viewed himself as higher in status.
"Why are you trembling in the corner like that?"
As she sat in the middle of a dark alley, a tall woman approached her, undoing her hood to reveal a kind smile.
"Are you alright? What's wrong? Are you lost?"
"I....."
The woman quickly took a seat next to Risa.
"Do you mind if I sit?"
Sitting down before Risa even got a chance to answer, the woman leaned her back on the wall, looking up to the sky.
"Life is hard, isn't it?"
Risa couldn't understand what the woman was doing or what she spoke of, but merely stared at her, wiping her tears.
"What are you doing?", Risa asked.
"You just looked a little lonely. You got a family to go back to, don't you? I can tell by your clothing. What's wrong?"
"I.... don't want to marry. I don't want to become someone's slave. I don't want to be beaten like mother was....."
"Hmm..... looks like you got a rough lot, kid. But not everyone is bad. Why don't you give em a chance? After all, life is a lot easier if you're open to things. Give people a little trust. It'll get you a long way."
These words hit Risa, and made her begin to wonder.
Was she just being spoiled?
Was she just throwing a tantrum?
Should she at least go back and try things out?
"Alright....."
"Here. I'll take you home. Come on."
The woman grabbed the hand of Risa, pulling her up.
"Do you know where it is?"
"I.... think it was this way."
Risa and the woman walked through the streets together, heading back to the wealthy area which she was raised in.
Heading to the front gate, Risa walked over to enter the door with the woman, who knocked.
Risa's father quickly opened the door with a rough expression, glaring at the woman with her.
"Risa. I see you've returned. Get back in here. And you, get out of here. This is our property, but I'll forgive you this once since you've brought our daughter back."
"Risa.... where have you been!?"
Risa's mother rushed out to give her a hug, yet the woman behind Risa did not take to the comments of her father lightly.
"You have quite a rude tone for someone whose child has just been brought home safely. What if I were nothing more than a thieve? I could have simply killed her or taken her hostage, but this is the thanks I get?"
"Why you..... enough with your cocky comments! Get out of here before I-"
"Before you what?"
Suddenly, a group of armed men stepped out from the shadows.
Risa's mother looked up in shock on the realization that a group of criminals had been led right to their doorstep.
Risa turned around to see the men, looking at the woman in surprise.
"What.... is going on?"
Risa asked these words, and in moments knives had been thrown, piercing the necks of both her mother and father at the same time.
The two fell to the ground almost instantly, dying on the spot, to which Risa merely stepped back in horror.
"Mother..... Father...."
The puddles of blood slowly radiated from the wounds, tainting the floor.
Risa then felt a hand on her own shoulder as the men walked past her, rushing in to gather the belongings of the home.
"Sorry, little girl. Did I say something earlier about being more trusting? Hahaha. Well, let me change the lesson a bit. I'll let you live since you're just a girl, and because to be honest.... I feel kinda bad for you. But if you learn anything from this, then just know one thing."
The woman walked forward into the home, not so much as meeting her eyes with Risa as she walked forth.
"Never trust anybody. Not even yourself."